Method and means for bracing or bolstering subaqueous structures



Oct. 10, 1967 L. A. TURZILLO METHOD AND MEANS FOR BRACING OR BOLSTERING 2 sheets-sheet 1 SUBAQUEOUS STRUCTURES Filed May 6, 1964 INVENTOR. kee fl'Tur iuo Oct. 10, 1967 L. A. TURZILLO 3,345,824 METHOD AND ME 5 FOR BRACING OR BOLSTERING su uEous STRUCTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1964 INVENTOR. Lee R. Tur i no Attorney United States Patent O 3,345,824 METHOD AND MEANS FOR BRACIN G OR BOLSTERING SUBAQUEOUS STRUCTURES Lee A. Turzillo, Bath, Ohio (2078 Glengary Road, Akron, Ohio 44313) Filed May 6, 1964, Ser. No. 365,431 17 Claims. (Cl. 61-35) This invention relates to grouting or concreting methods and particularly relates to a method and means for bracing or reinforcing subaqueous structures.

Prior Lee A. Turzillo patent, No. 3,099,911, discloses a method of grouting at a situs to form piles, brace foundations or like sub-structures, to plug leaks and voids in the earth, and for similar remedial operations. The feature of that invention contemplated, for example, the compaction of soil at a desired situs by direct action of hydrostatic pressure, exerted by infecting flowable grout into porous bag means to expand the bag means against soil surrounding the situs, and continuing injection of the grout until a small fraction of flowable grout oozes out through the pores of the bag means and conforms the walls of the same to the shape of surrounding soil areas contracting the expanded bag means.

A special problem, however, arises in providing support for a subaqueous structure, such as in a crevise under a concrete dam, in that strong undercurrents tend to sweep the unexpanded bag means away from the selected situs before the grout can be injected, as described above. Deep water divers, sometimes employed to hold the bag means in place, were expensive to employ and sometimes were unable to be of satisfactory service.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method and means of the character described for bolstering or supporting subaqueous structures, including improved bag means which is self-operating to retain itself at the situs against tendency of the undercurrents to displace the same, until such time as flexible porous walls of the bag means can be firmly expanded against surface areas of the situs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and means for grouting as set forth in the proceeding paragraph, by which the subsequently hardened grout within the expanded bag means is reinforced.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a grouting bag unit, including an unexpanded bag, positioned within a subaqueous crevice, created beneath a concrete dam by strong undercurrents, and including improved means for retaining unexpanded bag means of the unit against removal from the situs by action of the undercurrents.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse cross-section through the unexpanded bag unit shown in FIGURE 1, at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a crosssection corresponding to FIG- URE 2, but illustrating the bag means of the unit expanded against opposing surface areas of the situs, and after the grout has hardened.

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary crosssection, corresponding to the lower portion of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a still further enlarged, fragmentary cross-section taken substantially on the line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of an unexpanded, porous grouting bag of the type used with the bag means of FIG- URES 1 to 5.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section corresponding to FIG- URE 2, illustrating a modified form of bag means for practicing the method of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 3, illustrating the bag means of FIGURE 7 expanded by pressurized grout.

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view illustrating a one-step method of bracing and plugging a vertical crevice with spaced columns of bag means, as in a concrete waterretaining wall, or a fault.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross-section, taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9, and illustrating the condition after expansion of the bag means, and subsequent filling of the spaces between the columns with grout or concrete.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged cross-section taken substantially on the line 1111 of FIGURE 10.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a typical condition under which the method and means of the 1nvention may be utilized, namely where water flow or undertow has gradually eroded under portions of a concrete dock, dam, or other subaqueous structure 10, together with portions of the surrounding earth or other supporting structure 11 for the same, and thereby to form an eroded crevice 12. The purpose of the present invention is to utilize the grouting method of said prior Patent 3,099,911 to provide a solid support between the earth 11 and the concrete structure 10, and to plug the crevice 12 against further erosion damage.

A flexible porous fabric bag 13, utilized alone, as disclosed in said patent, and as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 herein, is subject to loss, misplaceme-nt, or distortion due to strong undercurrents within the formed crevice 12. To obviate this problem, the bag 13 may be contained within a generally cylindrical openwork cage of frame 14, of substantial peripheral girth closely approximating the size of the bag in fully expanded condition of the latter. The frame 14 may be made of a length of square woven mesh wire, suitably formed to have generally tubular shape and predetermined diameter (see FIGURES l and 2). While the size of the openings in the mesh frame 14 may be substantial, they need only be large enough for free flow of grout therethrough from pores in the bag in a manner to be described later. The mesh material, however, is of sufiiciently heavy wire that the frame 14 will be self-supportingly rigid, or at least not readily collapsible by flow of water against the unexpanded bag 13. Contained within the bag 13 may be a second openwork cage or frame 15 of stiff wire mesh material similar to that of the frame 14, and of somewhat smaller cross-sectional diameter than the bag 13, but approximately the same length as the bag. The function of the frame 15 will be best understood in connection with a subsequent description of the method of the invention.

A flexible tube 16 is shown attached to one end of the bag 13 (see FIGURES l, 5 and 6) for supplying fiowable grout under pressure to the bag, from a suitable source (not shown). In accordance with the method of the invention, the bag unit B including collapsed bag 13 encased in mesh frame 14, and a second mesh frame 15 enclosed within the bag 13, is placed at the situs, such as within the tapering crevice or space 12, as shown in FIGURE 1, to engage the outer mesh frame 14 more or less Wedgingly between outwardly presented stop portions of opposing surface areas 18 and 19 of the structures 10 and 11, respectively. In any event, deep water divers, aided by guiding and restraining lines 20, 20 are able to wedge the outer frame 14 against protuberances or irregularities within the crevice 12, to prevent the bag or bag unit from being swept inwardly by strong water currents (see FIG- URES 1 and 2).

With the bag unit firmly in place as described, grout is injected into the porous flexible bag 13, through the tube 16 until the bag is expanded first against the outer wire frame 14, and further against the resistance of the opposing surface areas 18 and 19 of the structures 10 and 11, respectively. Thus, the bag expands in given position within the crevice 12, and injection of pressurized grout is continued in a manner tending to bulge the porous flexible walls of the bag and its contained grout mass outwardly through the openings in the wire mesh frame 14, and further toward like conformation to the opposing surface areas of the situs structures. Grout injection is further continued within the bag until a relatively small fraction only of the flowable grout oozes out through the pores or openings of the bag means, and into the shape of said opposing surface areas of the situs, according to the strengths, weaknesses, and voids in such surface areas without substantial flow of grout into deeper cracks or pockets in the same (see FIGURES 3 to 5).

Although the injected grout does not migrate from the selected situs, as would occur when grout is not restrained by a bag, even when there are crevices, cracks or voids in the contacted surfaces of the supported or braced structures, the small fraction of grout extruded through the pores or openings of the flexible bag forms a layer 23 within which the frame 14 may be at least partly contained, depending upon the amount of grout extruded. Upon allowing the injected grout to solidify, the solidified grout within the bag will be reinforced by the inner mesh wire frame 15.

Under the conditions set forth with reference to FIG- URE 1, but where the space in crevice 12 is somewhat narrower than the diameter of the bag 13, the outer mesh frame 14 may be omitted, in which case the bag is positioned in the crevice 12 at a point which is narrower than the diameter of mesh frame 14, as shown in FIG- URE 7. That is, the inner frame will retain the bag 13 in position at the selected situs. Upon injection of the bag 13 with grout, and allowing the injected grout to harden, the bag unit will provide a solid supporting plug, reinforced by the inner mesh frame 15 (see FIGURES 7 and 8).

When a bag unit, in any of the forms described above, is used to plug a crevice and further support of the foundation 10 is required, the portion of the crevice 12 inwardly of the bag means may be filled with grout in known manner, and then allowed to harden.

Where bag means is referred to in the claims, it is understood that this contemplates use of one or more bags within the outer wire mesh frame to accomplish the desired results in substantially the same manner, or any number of the several forms of bag assemblies shown in FIGURES 1 to 8, or combinations thereof, may be grouped or stacked together in various way in accordance with the requirements for numerous and variable conditions which can occur in practice.

When a number of wire encased bags, as shown in FIGURES 1 to 5, for example, are stacked or bunched together, the grout oozed or extruded through adjacent or contacting units will be bonded together by wire reinforced, outer stratas of solidified grout. In some instances a massive supporting or water-retaining structure may be progressively constructed by placement of bag means between and/ or upon other judiciously anchored, grout expanded bag means.

For the purpose of extruding or oozing grout through the porous walls of bag 13, the latter may be made of well known square mesh, burlap-type fabric having about twelve openings to the square inch, or approximately 40% of open area. Other materials, such as nylon and fiberglass, having similar substantially porous characteristics, may be utilized. In any event, the proportions of grout oozed out will depend on the type of grout mix used, the pressure under which it is pumped into the bag, and the surface area of the bag. A satisfactory condition exists when the grout is oozed out in the form of small beads. Loss of volume of grout from the bag is found to be relatively slight, such as between 5 percent and 10 percent, and water accounts for most of such loss. In underwater operations, as described above, water cannot flow through the grout-filled bag, and accordingly, the oozed-out grout is not washed away, even while the hardening process is taking place.

The wire mesh material utilized for the frames 13 and 15 will be suitably rigid and durable if made of No. 12 gauge wire, mesh having openings approximately two inches square.

Referring to FIGURES 9 to 11, there is illustrated a method of plugging a subaqueous, vertically extending crevice 12a in a concrete wall W, or in a fault in the earths structure. FIGURE 9 shows the bag means B, including one or more wire reinforced, porous-walled bags as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, positioned or stacked in laterally spaced, vertical columns (see FIG- URE 10), with the outer wire cages 14 of the bags wedged between opposed walls 25 and 26 of the crevice or fault. After the columns are in position the porous walled bags are expanded against opposing walls of the crevice by injected grout within the bags as described above, and the injected grout is allowed to harden to the conditions shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, for example. The spaces 27 and 28 between the hardened columns are then filled with grout or cement, which is allowed to harden. Upon hardening or setting the resultant water retaining fillers 29 and 30 of hardened cement are tenaciously attached to the surrounding situs, including the walls of the crevice and to the oozed out, hardened grout from the bag means B of the stacks thereof (see FIGURES 10 and 11). To the extent that FIGURES 9 to 11 include structure common to FIGURES l to 8, like structures or elements are designated by like numerals, unless otherwise noted.

The improved bag means also may be utilized as described in connection with FIGURES 9 to 11 to support or plug a space between sheet piling, as for forming a bulkhead or bulkheads, and particularly where it is necessary or advantageous to fill a given area with concrete or other materials in sections.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing a subaqueous or other bracing structure in situ, comprising: placing closed expandible and generally porous walled bag means in relatively unexpanded condition at the situs in cooperation with a self-supportingly rigid openwork frame means adapted to engage opposing portions of the structure to be braced to havethe unexpanded bag means loosely confined at the situs by the framework means; injecting a flowable grout under hydraulic pressure into said bag means to expand the porous walls thereof against opposing surface areas of the situs and continuing the injection of the flowable grout under pressure into the bag and through openwork frame means until a small fraction only of the flowable grout oozes out through the pores of the bag means and the expanded bag means conforms itself in shape to the opposing surface areas contacting the expanded bag means according to the strengths, weakness and voids of the surface areas; and permitting the flowable grout which has passed through the porous walls and the flowable grout within the bag means to solidify in pressure contact with said opposing surface areas of the situs, whereby the solidified grouting between the bag means and the pressure contacted surface areas by extension through the porous walls creates a bonding effect between the solidified grout mass within the bag means and the pressure contacted surface areas.

2 A method as in claim 1, said frame means including an interior openwork body within the bag means and additionally serving to reinforce the solidified grout.

3. A method'as in claim 1, said frame means including an exterior openwork body surrounding said bag means, and the walls of the bag being expanded against said exterior openwork body by the pressurized grout.

4. A method as in claim 3, said frame means including an exterior openwork body surrounding said bag means,.and thewalls of the bag beingexpanded against said exterior openwork body by the pressurized grout.

5. A device as for providing a bracing structure between opposing sur=face areas of a situs, comprising: closed, expandib le, porous-walled bag means in relatively unexpanded condition; a self-supportingly rigid frame of openwork construction cooperatively associated with the walls of said bag means to have substantially spaced portions of the rigid frame adapted to engage said opposing surface areas of the situs for retaining the unexpanded bag means in position at'the situs; and conduit means on said bag means for injecting a fiowable grout under pressure into the positioning bag means for expanding the walls thereof against said opposing surface areas of the situs.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5, said frame means including an exterior cage-like body of woven wire containing said bag means, said walls of the bag means being expansible against said cage-like body by the pressurized grout.

7. A method of plugging a vertical space between opposing surfaces of a structure in situ, comprising: placing spaced vertical columns of closed expandible bag means of porous fabric in relatively unexpanded condition between said opposing surfaces; the bag means including an openwork frame of rigid material and of size adapted to engage portions of the opposing surfaces supportingly to retain the unexpanded bag means at the situs; injecting fiowable grout under pressure into said bag means to expand the walls thereof against said opposing surfaces, and continuing the injection of flowable grout under pressure until the expanded bag means conforms in shape to the opposing surface areas; permitting the flowablle grout within the bag means to solidify in pressure contact with said opposing surfaces; and filling the vertical space between the solidified vertical colums therein with filler material.

8. A method of plugging a vertical space between opposing surfaces of a structure in situ, comprising: placing spaced vertical columns of expandible, porous walled bag means in relatively unexpanded condition between a said opposing surfaces; the bag means including a selfsupportingly rigid openwork frame means of peripheral size and form .adapted to engage portions of the opposing surfaces of the situs to retain the unexpanded bag means at the situs; injecting fiowable grout under pressure into said bag means to expand the walls thereof against said opposing surfaces, and continuing the injection of fiowable grout under pressure until a small fraction only of the fiowable grout oozes out through the pores of the bag means and the expanded bag means conforms in shape to the oposiug surface areas; permitting the fiowable grout within the bag means and the oozed out grout to solidify in pressure contact with said opposing surfaces of the situs; and filling the vertical space between the solidified vertical columns with hardgenerally porouswalled to permit a small fraction of the injected grout to ooze through the porous walls; said framework including an interior openwork body within the bag means and an exterior openwork body encompassing said bag means; the wall of the bag means being expansible against said exterior openwork body by the pressurized grout and said interior and exterior openwork bodies being cage-like structures of woven wire.

10. A method of plugging a vertical space between opposing surfaces of a structure in situ, comprising: placing spaced vertical columns of expandible, porous-walled bag means in relatively unexpanded condition between said opposing surfaces; the bag means including an openwork means of rigid material and of size adapted to engage portions of the opposing surfaces to retain the bag means at the situs; injecting fiowable grout under pressure into said bag means to expand the walls thereof against said opposing surfaces, and continuing the injection of fiowable grout under pressure until a small fraction only of the fiowable grout oozes 'out through the pores of the bag means and the expanded bag means conforms in shape to the opposing surface areas; permitting the fl-owable grout Within the bag means and the oozed out grout to solidify in pressure contact with said opposing surfaces; and filling the vertical space hewcen the solidified vertical columns with hardenable filler material; said openwork means containing the respective said bag means, and the Walls of the bag means being expanded against openwork means by the pressurized grout.

11. A method'as in claim 10', said hardenable filler material being a cementitious mixture.

12. A device as for bracing subaqueous or other structure in situ, comprising: closed, expandible porous bag means in relatively unexpanded condition; a self-supportingly rigid frame means of openwork construction cooperatively associated with said bag means and including substantially spaced portions adapted to engage correspondingly spaced areas of the structure to be braced and thereby retain the unexpanded bag means at the situs; and conduit means on said bag means for injecting a fiowable grout under pressure into the same to exp-and the walls thereof against the opposing surface areas of the situs engaged by spaced portions of the frame, whereby grout is caused to ooze through the pores of the bag means, said bag means being generally porous walled to permit a small fraction of the injected grout to ooze out through the porous walls.

13. A device as set forth in claim 12, said frame means including an interior openwork body Within the bag means.

14. A device as set forth in claim 13, said frame means including an exterior openwork body containing said bag means; said walls of the bag means being expansible against said exterior openwork body by the pressurized grout to permit the oozed grout to be forced against said opposing surface areas.

15. A method of forming a bracing structure in a fixed location within a spaced defined 'by opposing surface areas of a situs having stop portions formed by outwardly presented portions of said surface areas comprising the steps of providing a self-supportingly rigid, openwork frame means of size and peripheral girth dimensioned to bridge said space; mounting closed expansible bag means and said frame, one within the other, in said fixed location to have said frame means backed by said stop portions to prevent inward movement of the frame means and thereby retain said bag means at said fixed location; injecting fiowable grout under hydraulic pressure into said closed bag means to expand the walls thereof into pressure contact with said opposing surface areas; and permitting the fiowable grout within the bag means to solidify in said pressure contact with said opposing surface areas.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein said frame References Cited means includes a generally tubular openwork body and UNITED STATES PATENTS sa1d bag means is eontamed therein, and wherein sa d Re. 25,614 7/1964 Turazino 651765 pressurized hydraulic grout expands the Walls of sa1d 12-65164 5/1918 Barr 61 53 6 ba 't 'd -okbd until 0rti0s5 y g means agans Sal Penw r Y P n 3197964 8/1965 Fehlmann a a1. 6135 of the expanded Walls engage and conform to portions of said oplp osing surface areas through the openings of FOREIGN PATENTS the openwork body. 935,797 1963 Great Britain.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein an interior openwork body is contained within the bag means and 10 DAVID WILLIAMOWSKY Pnmary Exammer' serves to reinforce the solidified grout. JACOB SHAPIRO, Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF PROVIDING A SUBAQUEOUS OR OTHER BRACING STRUCTURE IN SITU- COMPRISING: PLACING CLOSED EXPANDIBLE AND GENERALLY POROUS WALLED BAG MEANS IN RELATIVELY UNEXPANDED CONDITION AT THE SITUS IN COOPERATION WITH A SELF-SUPPROTING RIGID OPENWORK FRAME MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE OPPOSING PORTIONS OF THE STRUCTURE TO BE BRACED TO HAVE THE UNEXPANDED BAG MEANS LOOSELY CONFINED AT THE SITUS BY THE FRAMEWORK MEANS; INJECTING A FLOWABLE GROUT UNDER HYDRAULIC PRESSURE INTO SAID BAG MEANS TO EXPAND THE POROUS WALLS THEREOF AGAINST OPPOSING SURFACE AREAS OF THE SITUS AND CONTINUING THE INJECTION OF THE FLOWABLE GROUT UNDER PRESSURE INTO THE BAG AND THROUGH OPENWORK FRAME MEANS UNTIL A SMALL FRACTION ONLY THE FLOWABLE GROUT OOZES OUT THROUGH THE PORES OF THE BAG MEANS AND THE EXPANDED BAG MEANS CONFORMS ITSELF IN SHAPED TO THE OPPOSING SURFACE AREAS CONTACTING THE EXPANDED BAG MEANS ACCORDING TO THE STRENGTHS WEAKNESS AND VOIDS OF THE SURFACE AREAS; AND PERMITTING THE FLOWABLE GROUT WHICH HAS PASSED THROUGH THE POROUS WALLS AND THE FLOWABLE GROUT WITHIN THE BAG MEANS TO SOLIDIFY IN PRESSURE CONTACT WITH SAID OPPOSING SURFACE AREAS OF THE SITUS, WHEREBY THE SOLIDIFIED GROUTING BETWEEN THE BAG MEANS AND THE PRESSURE CONTACTED SURFACE AREAS BY EXTENSION THROUGH THE POROUS WALLS CREATES A BONDING EFFECT BETWEEN THE SOLIDIFIED GROUT MASS WITHIN THE BAG MEANS AND THE PRESSURE CONTACTED SURFACE AREAS. 